Herakles
]] Herakles is the proper spelling for the Greek God Herakles. The reason for the two spellings is that the Ancient Greeks did not have the letter C so for any word. The equivalent in most cases the letter K (kappa). Eventually this would change but some of the Ancient Greek fundamentalists spell it with a K. For those who are looking for the other Greek spelling go to Heracles Mythology Childhood Herakles who was born Alkaeus was not a normal child, even as a baby. One day, he and his brother, Iphicles were put to sleep, Hera sent two poisonous snakes to kill Herakles (though there is a less accepted theory that his step-father Amphitryon sent them in order to find out which if either was his son). That evening the snakes came into the room where Iphicles & Herakles slept. Alcmene was awakened by screams from the children's the room. Alcmene woke Amphitryon who promptly grabbed his sword and shield. Amphitryon and Alkemene rushed in and found Iphicles cowering in the corner crying while Herakles was gleefully shaking the dead the limp dead bodies of the snakes which Herakles had managed to strangle to death in the time that it had taken Amphitryon to grab a sword & shield and rush to the nursery. Adolescence In his youth Herakles had already made a name for himself. At some point Herakles found himself in Thespiae an ancient Greek city (polis) in Boeotia hunting a lion (not the Nemean Lion). At the time Thespiae was ruled by King Thespias (the land's founder) and Queen Megamede. When Thespius learned of Herakles' presence he saw a way to take advantage of it. The king and queen had fifty daughters (it is likely many of them were daughters of Thespias and mistresses) all of whom were of marrying age but not married. Thespius came up with the idea of having all of his daughters become pregnant by Herakles. Thespius extended his hospitality to the great hero and invited him to stay at the palace while Herakles was hunting down the lion. Thespius said for the time that Herakles was there "you may have my eldest daughter Prokris as your bedfellow." Each night Thespius sent a different one of his daughters (dressed similar to how Prokris had on the first night) to be impregnated by Herakles. The combination of being tired from the hunt and each evenings dinner Herakles was not able to realize he was with a different daughter. By the time Herakles finally hunted down and killed the lion and was ready to leave slept with fourty-nine of the fifty daughters (one of them did not like her father's plan) and the daughters bore a total of fifty-one sons (the eldest Prokris and the youngest of the daughters both bearing twins). Adulthood First Marriage Since birth, Heracles was hunted by Hera's fury. Her revenge came to a climax after Heracles' marriage. One day, Hera made Heracles go into a blind frenzy, inflicting chaos on all those around him. But those people were his wife and children. After recovering from the rage, he was shocked to find his family dead at his feet. The people around could not bear the knowledge of Heracles act and told him. Crying for his loved ones, and calling himself a murderer, Theseus, king of Athens, came forth from the crowd, offered the demigod his hand and told to come with him to Athens. At first, Heracles refused to touch the hand, since according to the Greek belief, a man who touches the blood of a murdered one is also responsible for the act. After Theseus insisted, Heracles agreed. At Athens, Heracles sought out the oracle, which told Heracles that if he wishes to be pure again, he must punish himself. Heracles e, and turned to his uncle, Eourystheus, who was a cruel, insidious man. Eurystheus took the offer and gave Heracles what was later known as the Twelve Labors of Herakles. The First Labor: Slay the Nemean Lion The Nemean Lion known as Leon Nemeios (Λεον Νεμειος), was the son of the monster Ekhidna, it dwelled in Nemea, north of Argus. The lion was said to be bigger than Heracles, could not be harmed by any weapon. He used to emerge from two openings in his cave and destroy anything and anyone who stood in his way, and terrorized the nearby valleys. As a first task, Aristeaus told Herakles to bring him the skin of the Nemean Lion. Herakles climbed the mountain, passed the bushes and at twilight he found the lion. Herakles took his bow and shot the lion. Since no weapons could harm it, the arrow fell to the ground as the lion did not even notice it. Heracles shot an arrow to the monster's chest, but of no avail. But that last arrow fell between the Lion's feet and he noticed Herakles, and jumped toward him. The demigod tried to hit its head with a olive wood branch, but it only misted the Lion's eyes and it retreated back to its lair. Herakles used his enemy's blindness, and blocked the rear entrance of the cave, and stormed through the front, there he found the lion. The hero jumped on the beast's back, and since he could not harm it with weapons, he suffocated it to death. Using the dead Lion's own claws, he opened its body and made a mantal from the skin. He wore it ever since. Returning with the pelt to the capital city, his uncle was so afraid of Herakles' mighty power he ordered him to never enter the capital with the evidence of his labors, and gave his nephew tasks using a messenger. The Second Labor: Slay the Lernean Hydra The Lernaean Hydra (Λερναιαν Ὑδρα), yet another child of Ekhidna, was a terrifying beast, which lived near Amimona river, and bathed in the deep swamps nearby. It had nine heads of a serpent and a body of a dog. With its deadly venomous spit, it killed animals and destroyed crops. Heracles was told to slay the Hydra, and came to her home by a chariot driven by Iolaus, his nephew. The demigod fired burning arrows into its lair to call the Hyra out, but to his surprise, both the Hydra and another beast came out. It was a giant crab sent by Hera, so Heracles may find his death. Coming out of the mud, the crab bit Heracles' leg, trying to make him fall. Heracles crushed the crab with his heel, but was trapped by the Hyra. Herakles tried to behead the Hydra, but whenever a head was cut off, two others grew instead. Seeing Heracles failing to cut off the Hydra's heads, Iolaus burned a branch of a nearby tree, and whenever a head was chopped, he burned it so another may not grow. At the end, only one head remained, but it was immortal, so Heracles took a rock and buried the head underneath. Returning to the city, Aristaeus claimed since Herakles had Iolaus as an assistance, it was not to be considered a task. The Third Labor: Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis Eurystheus and Hera were greatly angered to find that Heracles had managed to escape from the claws of the Nemean Lion and the fangs of the Lernaean Hydra, and so decided to spend more time thinking up a third task that would spell doom for the hero. The third task did not involve killing a beast, as it had already been established that Heracles could overcome even the most fearsome opponents, so Eurystheus decided to make him capture the Kerynitis Hind, as it was so fast it could outrun an arrow. After beginning the search, Heracles awoke from sleeping and he could see the hind from the glint on its antlers. Heracles then chased the hind on foot for a full year through Greece, Thrace, Istria and the land of the Hyperboreans. In some versions, he captured the hind while it slept, rendering it lame with a trap net. In other versions, he encountered Artemis in her temple and she told him to leave the hind and tell Eurystheus all that had happened and his third labor would be considered to be completed. Yet another version claims that Herakles trapped the Hind with an arrow between the forelegs of the creature. Eurystheus had given Heracles this task hoping to incite Artemis' anger at Heracles for his desecration of her sacred animal. As he was returning with the hind, Heracles encountered Artemis and her brother Apollo. He begged the goddess for forgiveness, explaining that he had to catch it as part of his penance, but he promised to return it. Artemis forgave him, foiling Eurystheus' plan to have her punish him. Upon bringing the hind to Eurystheus, he was told that it was to become part of the King's menagerie. Heracles knew that he had to return the hind as he had promised, so he agreed to hand it over on the condition that Eurystheus himself come out and take it from him. The King came out, but the moment Heracles let the hind go, it sprinted back to its mistress, and Heracles left saying that Eurystheus had not been quick enough. Eurystheus, upset that Heracles had managed to overcome yet another creature, told him to bring the fearsome Erymanthian Boar back to him alive. Time as an Argonaut Some time after completing his twelve labors Herakles took part in another famous adventure, the Quest for the Golden Fleece. His time however as an Argonaut was brief, the Argonauts decided to have a competition to see who could row for the longest period of time before exhaustion set in. The last two were Jason and Herakles and finally Jason became exhausted but moments later Herakles' oar broke. So that Herakles could get wood for a new oar the Argonauts stopped at the island Mysia. Herakles set out to find a sturdy which Herakles could make his oar while his and his close companion Hylas went to get water. The nymph or nymphs (Pegaiai Naiades) of the local spring (Dryope in particular), fell in love with Hylas and kidnapped him thus Hylas vanished without a trace. When Herakles noticed Hylas had disappeared he along with Polyphemus searched the island for a great length of time. The two spent so much time that under great pressure from most of the crew that Jason decided they had waited long enough for Herakles and Polyphemus. So, the crew of the Argo left without them bringing an end to Herakles' brief time as an Argonaut. Time In Lydia At some point, following his twelve labors Herakles inadvertently killed Iphitus. As was his habit Herakles blamed himself more than others blamed him. The pennance was that Herakles, was, by the command of the Delphic Oracle Xenoclea, to be sold as a slave to Omphale for the period of a year. The compensation was to be paid to Eurytus (who refused to accept it). During that year, Omphale forced the great hero to dress as a woman (while she herself would wear his Nemean Lion pelt and carry his Olive Wood Club) and perform tasks that were generally viewed as those reserved for women such as weaving at a loom. Despite the fact that she humiliated him, she also forced him to be her lover and according to some versions she forced his to marry her. During his time at Lydia which may have extended beyond the year of forced servitude, Herakles would become the father by Omphale of Agelaus, Maleus & Tyrsenus as well as Akelus by Malis (one of the queen's slave girls) and Kleodaees with an unnamed slave girl of Queen Omphale. It is however likely that this was not a real marriage and he was simply her lover for a period of time since he left Lydia while she was still around. It is however worth mentioning especially since his time dressed in women's clothing doing tasks meant for women is a well known part of his life. Second Marriage Heracles was married to Deianeira. Long after their marriage, one day the centaur Nessus offered to ferry them across a wide river that they had to cross. Nessus set off with Deianeira first, but tried to abduct her. When Heracles realized the centaur's real intention, Heracles chased after him and shot him with an arrow which was poisoned with Hydra's blood. Before he died, Nessus told Deianeira to take some of his blood and semen and treasured it, since it was a very powerful medicine and: if she ever thought Heracles was being unfaithful, the centaur told her, the mixture would prevent him from betraying him. Deianeira kept the vial of blood and semen. Gigantomachia One of his last great adventures was his part in the war between the gods and Giants who were the children of Gaia and Tartaros. Many of these giants were created to oppose a specific god, some however were just there to help try and overthrow the Olympians in genreral. None of the giants (with the exception of Alkyones) could be killed be killed by a god alone and most required the combined efforts of a god and a mortal hero (the Gigante Leon who Herakles faced in singles combat was a rare exception). Since the gods could not kill the Gigantes without the help of a mortal hero, Herakles was recruited for the job, For more on this see Many years after that incident she heard rumors that Heracles had fallen in love with another woman. She smeared some of the mixture on a robe and sent it to Heracles by a servant named Leechas. When doing so, some of the mixture was spilled on the floor and when the sun rays fell on it, it begun to burn. Because of this Deianeira begun to suspect Nessus's advice and decided to send another servant to fetch Leechas back before he could hand over the soaked robe to Heracles. She was too late. Heracles has already put on the robe and when he did so the blood still poisoned from the same arrow used by Hercules, burnt into his flesh. When he jumped into a nearby river in hope of extinguishing the fire, it only made it worse. When he tried to rip off the robe from his body his organs were also ripped off with it. Furiously, Heracles caught Leechas and tossed him into the sea. After that he told his friend Philoctetis to build him a pyre on the mountain Oata. He was burnt to death on the pyre. Before dying, Heracles offered his bow and arrows as a token of gratitude to Philoctetis. His father Zeus then turned him into a god. Deianeira, after hearing what she had caused, committed suicide. After his death, Heracles was brought to Mt. Olympus and made a god (God of Physical Strength). At this point Hera finally overcame her jealousy and offered Heracles her daughter Hebe's hand in marriage. Relatives Parents *Alkmene (mother) & Zeus (father) Amphitryon (step-father) Children *Akelus (by Malis, a slave of Queen Omphale) *Aekhmagoras (by Philo daughter of Alkimedon) *Agamedas (with an unknown woman) *Agathyrsus (by the monster Ekhidna) *Agelaus (by Queen Omphale the Queen of Lydia) *Agylleus (with an unknown consort) *Alexiares (by Hebe with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth) *Alopius (with Antiope a daughter of King Thespius) *Amathes (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Boeus of Bretius and Brettus) *Amathous (with an unknown consort) *Amnestrius (with Eone a daughter of King Thespius) *Aniketos (with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth) *Antiades (with Aglaia a daughter of King Thespius) *Antileon (with Prokris a daughter of King Thespius) *Antimakhus (with Nikippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Antiokhus (with Anthaeia daughter of King Thespius) *Antiokhus (with Meda daughter of King Phylas) *Antiphus (with Laothoe a daughter of King Thespius) *Arkhedikus (with Eurypyle a daughter of King Thespius) *Arkhimakhus (with Patro a daughter of King Thespius *Astromus (with Stratonike a daughter of King Thespius) *Astyanax (with Epilais a daughter of King Thespius) *Astymes (with Kalametis a daughter of King Thespius) *Aventinus (with Rhea, an Italian priestess) *Azon (with an unknown consort) *Barge (with Bargases) *Bokolus (with Marse a daughter of King Thespius) *Boeus (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Bretius, Brettus and Amathes) *Bretius (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Brettus, Boeus and Amathes) *Brettus (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Bretius, Boeus and Amathes) *Buleus (with Elakhia a daughter of King Thespius) *Celtus (with Celtine daughter of Bretannus king of the Celts) *Deikoon (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) *Dexamenus (with an unknown consort) *Dynastes (with Erato a daughter of King Thespius) *Ekhephron (with Psophis a daughter of Xanthus or Eryx) *Entelades (with Menippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Erasippus (with Lysippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Eratus (with Dynaste) *Eukleia-(with Myrto daughter of Menoeteus) *Eumedes (with Lyse a daughter of King Thespius) *Eurykapys (with Klytippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Euryopes (with Terpsikrate a daughter of King Thespius) *Eurypyles (with Eubote a daughter of King Thespius) *Eurythrus (with Exole a daughter of King Thespius) *Everus (with Parthenope daughter of Stymphalus) *Glenos (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) *Gelon (with Khania, a nymph) *Gelonus (with The monster Ekhidna) *Halokrates (with Olympusa a daughter of King Thespius) *Hippeus (with Prokris a daughter of King Thespius) *Hippodamus (with Anthippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Hippozygus (with Hippokrate a daughter of King Thespius) *Homolippus (with Xanthis a daughter of King Thespius) *Hyllus (with with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) *Hyllus (with a naiad Melite) *Iobes (with Kerthe a daughter of King Thespius) *Kadmillus (with a nymph named Kabeira) *Kapylus (with Hippo a daughter of King Thespius) *Keleustinor (with Iphis a daughter of King Thespius) *Khromis (with an unknown consort) *Kleolaus (with Argele a daughter of King Thespius) *Kleodaees (with one of Queen Omphale's slave girls) *Kreon (with One of the daughters of King Thespius possibly Argele) *Kreontiades (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) *Ktesippus (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon) *Ktesippus (with Astydameia, daughter of Ormenius) *Kyrnus (with an unknown consort) *Kings of India (with Pandela and Indian Princess) *Laomedon (with Meline a daughter of King Thespius) *Laomenes (with Oreia a daughter of King Thespius) *Latinus (with Palantho of Hyperborea) *Leukippus (with Eurytelle a daughter of King Thespius) *Leukites (with an unknown consort) *Leukoneus (with Aeskhreis a daughter of King Thespius) *Lykurgus (with Toxikrace a daughter of King Thespius) *Lynkaeus (with Tiphyse a daughter of King Thespius) *Makaria (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon) - Makareia was Herakles' only mortal daughter *Maleus (with Queen Omphale Queen of Lydia) *Manto (with an unknown consort) *Mentor (with Asopis a daughter of King Thespius) *Nephus (with Praxitheia a daughter of King Thespius) *Nikodromus (with Nike a daughter of King Thespius) *Oneites (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) *Oenesippus (with Khryseis a daughter of King Thespius) *Oestrobleus (with Hesikhaeia a daughter of King Thespius) *Olynthus (with Bolbe) *Olympus (with Euboea a daughter of King Thespius) *Palaemon (with Iphinoe daughter of Antaeus) *Pallas (with Dyna) *Pallas (with Lavinia, daughter of Evander) *Pandaie (with an unknown consort) *Patroklus (with Pyrippe a daughter of King Thespius) *Phalius (with Helikones a daughter of King Thespius) *Polylaus (with Eurybia a daughter of King Thespius) *Promakhus (with Prophis a daughter of Xanthus or Eryx) *Rhopalus (with unknown woman) *Skythes (with the monster Ekhidna) *Sophax (with Tinge, wife of Antaeus) *Telephus (with Auge sister of Kepheus of King Tegea) *Teles (with Lysidike a daughter of King Thespius) *Teleutagores (with Eurykas a daughter of King Thespius) *Therimakhus (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) *Threpsippus (with Panope a daughter of King Thespius) *Thessalus (with Khalciope) *Thestalus (with Epikaste the daughter of Augeus) *Thettalus (with Khalciope daughter of Eurypylus) *Tigasis (with Phyleis a daughter of King Thespius) *Tlepolemus (with with either Astyokhe daughter of Phylas) *Unknown son (with Palantia daughter of Evander) *Unnamed serpent (with Pyrene, daughter of King Bebrykius) Gallery of Herakles in his various adventures ATTIC BLACK-FIGURE SUB-DEIANIRA LEKYTHOS BY THE PHAROS PAINTER.jpg|Herakles shooting Nessos who attempts to abduct Deianeira K18.1Hebe.jpg|The Marriage of Herakles and Hebe N18.2Geras.jpg|Herakles fighting Geras (the god of old age) P28 2Ketos.jpg|Herakles shooting arrows at the Trojan Sea Monster K4 11Hera.jpg|Hera Suckling the Infant Herakles O20.4Akheloios.jpg|Herakles wrestles Akheloios to win the hand of Deianeira P28 1Ketos.jpg|Herakles killing the Trojan Sea Monster with fish hooks Herakles_snake_Musei_Capitolini_MC247.jpg|Infant Herakles strangling a poisonous snake Category:Males Category:Husbands Category:Children of Zeus Category:Gods Category:Immortals Category:Minor Gods Category:Fathers Category:Heroes Category:Twins Category:Twelve Labors Category:Sons of Zeus Category:Argonauts Category:Male Category:Immortal Category:Husband Category:Father Category:The First Labor: Slay the Nemean Lion Category:The Second Labor: Slay the Lernean Hydra Category:The Third Labor: Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis Category:The Fourth Labor: Capture the Erymanthian Boar Category:The Fifth Labor: Clean the Augean Stables Category:The Sixth Labor: Rid the Island Stymphalos of the Man-eating Birds Category:The Seventh Labor: Capture the Kretan Bull Category:The Eight Labor: Steal the Men Eating Mares of Diomedes Category:The Ninth Labor: Obtain the Girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons Category:The Tenth Labor: Obtain the Cattle of the Giant Geryon Category:The Eleventh Labor: Steal the Apples of the Hesperides Category:The Twelfth Labor: Capture and bring back Kerberos Category:Labors of Herakles Category:Twelve Labors of Herakles Category:The Daughters of Thespius